1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for the storage of rolls of wallpaper and the like and for the display of samples of the wallpaper stored therein.
2. Description of Prior Art
Typically, when choosing a wallpaper pattern, the consumer has had to page through large and cumbersome wallpaper pattern sample books to select the desired pattern. This type of merchandising requires a salesperson to take the identifying number, and either locate the corresponding roll of wallpaper from inventory or order the pattern from a wholesale distributor or jobber.
Recently, however, the technique for marketing wallpaper has changed to one of mass merchandising, operating on a cash and carry, self service basis at high traffic, high volume outlets. An outlet employing this concept typically needs to stock at least six hundred different patterns, and some stock as many as a thousand to fifteen hundred different patterns. The consumer browses through the store, selects a pattern, and picks the roll or rolls of wall covering directly from storage bins.
Several techniques for displaying and storing wallpaper samples for high volume outlets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,986,756, 4,175,807 and 4,179,033. In each, the storage bin is uncovered, exposing unsightly roll ends to a possibly dirty and dusty environment, and encouraging customer handling or pilfering of the individual rolls. Additionally, each requires either the costly use of skilled labor to custom-construct each unit or the special manufacture of prefabricated components which are assembled into a display and storage unit.